Easter 2020

So for Easter 2020, I decided to make a ham for the first time and convince Jacob that scalloped potatoes can actually be good. King Arthur Flour inspired most of the recipes for this celebration, thanks to me following them on Facebook and seeing their numerous posts with yummy looking recipes.

Plate of Easter dinner

Poppy seed roll

A friend recommended to me instead of oven cooking the ham, to slow cook it, which is a great idea since I was using the oven for everything else. We had cheesy biscuits, homegrown green beans, slow cooked orange and brown sugar ham, scalloped potatoes, and Kedem grape juice. For dessert, we had poppy seed roll (Poticza) in the shape of a wreath. Most everything turned out pretty good, however, we decided that 10 pounds of ham for 2 people is too much and that neither of us like ham thaaat much. So next year we might try lamb. The scalloped potatoes were a hit and so was the Kedem grape juice (obviously). The biscuits were made with heavy cream rather than butter and all the reviews raved it, but personally I think I like biscuits made with butter better. The poppy seed roll had the same problem that I had with the Stromboli, I rolled it out too thin and it exploded out. Also, I changed out the prescribed nuts for ground walnuts and canned poppy seed filling.

Some things I would change are:

1. I used orange juice instead of pineapple juice since the grocery store didn't have any left and it ended up being a little too orangey for both of us. 
2. I cooked the ham on high for most of the morning and the bottom of it got cooked pretty fast, but the top wasn't coming to temperature, so I had to cut out the cooked so we could eat it for lunch and put the rest of it back in the crock pot for around hour. Cooking in a crock pot was kind of a fool proof method, so I would honestly probably do it that again if I were to ever make ham again. 
3. I halved the scalloped potatoes recipe and we had still plenty to eat. The white sauce was good and easy to make, and I sliced the potatoes using the food processor so they ended up only being the size of quarters, which resulted in them almost becoming mashed potatoes. I also would throw some fresh parsley on top next time at the end. 
4. The biscuits were very easy to make, I had to make my own self rising flour since I only have all-purpose flour and I used heavy cream. I also made them by hand. I thought it lacked flavor but the texture was spot on. I used a glass as a biscuit cutter and the baking time was around 12 minutes.
5. The poppy seed roll was a little bit of a nightmare. First off, I used my King Arthur Flour cookbook instead of the online recipe and it had an option at the end of shaping into a wreath instead of a loaf. I'm currently experimenting with trying to raise my dough in a warmed oven and I think I made it a little too hot because I feel like it over proofed in it's second proof because I made it 150 degrees and didn't let it air out at all. The first proof was perfect. So the two other issues with this recipe was that I tried to maintain the prescribed size of the rolled out dough and it was too thin. Also, I swapped out the pecan meal with a can of poppy seed filling but didn't take any eggs out. I did one can of poppy seed filling and seven ounces of walnuts. I added probably around a cup extra of flour. It was supposed to a stiff paste but was not stiff enough. It oozed out the too thin dough and around the not sealed dough. The one high point of the recipe was that I was supposed to bake the dough until the internal temperature reached 195 degrees and I baked it until then and it was perfect. Jacob doesn't really like poppy seed roll apparently, it's too dry, cake is his preferred method of consumption for poppy seed. 

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham

Serves: 10?

Time: 5 hours including rise and bake time

Ingredients:

     Fully-cooked ham, approximately 7 to 8 pounds (*see Notes below)
     2 cups pineapple juice
     2 cups brown sugar
     1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
     1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
     1 1/2 tablespoons honey
     2 tablespoons cornstarch
     2 tablespoons water
Steps:

1. Remove ham from the packaging and discard any flavoring packet. If using a bone-in ham, check the end of the bone for a plastic cap and, if present, discard.
2. Pour the pineapple juice in bottom of a large (6.5- to 8-quart), oval slow cooker.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, and honey into a paste. Spread brown sugar mixture all over ham and place, flat side down, in slow cooker.
4. Cover slow cooker with lid and set to low. Cook ham for 4 to 6 hours or until the meat is tender and the internal temperature reaches 140°F. If desired, flip and baste the ham halfway through cooking time and again about an hour before ham is done.
5. Once ham is done, remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Skim any fat and strain the juices from the crock pot into a saucepan. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring the juices to a simmer. In a small bowl, use a fork to stir the cornstarch into the water to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the pot while whisking the ham juices. Allow the mixture to bubble and thicken for a minute or two, stirring occasionally. If you desire a thicker sauce, you may stir in a bit more cornstarch slurry. Do not add straight cornstarch to the hot liquid or it will clump, and do not over stir the sauce once the cornstarch has been added or it may not thicken properly.
6. Serve the ham warm, with the sauce on the side or drizzled on top. If you prefer an oven-cooked ham effect, you may also glaze the entire ham with thickened sauce and pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes (watch it closely!) before serving.

Savory Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

Serves: 5 (2 biscuits each)

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
     2 cups (227g) King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour
     4 ounces (113g) cheddar cheese, the sharper the better; King Arthur Flour prefer Cabot extra-sharp
     1 cup (227g) heavy cream

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F, with a rack in the upper third.
2. To make the biscuits using a food processor: Cut the cheese into a few chunks. Place the cheese and flour into the work bowl of your food processor.
3. Process until the mixture is smooth; the cheese will be very finely chopped.
4. Add the cream, and pulse until the dough becomes cohesive. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
5. To make the dough by hand: Grate or shred the cheese; you should have about 1 cup. Toss it together with the flour.
6. Add the cream, stirring to make a cohesive dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
7. Pat the dough into a disc 3/4" to 1" thick; the thicker the disc, the taller the biscuits.
8. Use a 2" cutter (or the size of your choice) to cut rounds. Place the biscuits on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream or milk, if desired; this will help brown their crust.
9. Bake the biscuits for 15 to 18 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve immediately.

Tips from King Arthur Flour Bakers

• Why the wide range in yield? Dough patted 3/4" thick will yield about 16 to 17 biscuits; pat the dough 1" thick, you'll get about a dozen.
• To make soft-sided biscuits, place the biscuits close together on the baking sheet; their sides should be nearly touching. For biscuits with a crisp crust, space them 1" apart.
• Can you make these biscuits with light cream, half & half, whole milk, reduced-fat milk, or skim milk? Absolutely; the lower down the fat scale you go, the less liquid you'll need to bring the dough together — and, of course, the less tender your biscuits will be.
• This recipe is easily scaled up or down, to make more or fewer biscuits. Just keep this formula in mind: equal parts flour and cream, by weight; and half as much cheese, again by weight.
• This is a great recipe to shape and freeze ahead for a later date. Place the shaped biscuits on a baking sheet, and freeze. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a plastic bag and replace in the freezer. Bake frozen biscuits (no need to thaw) in a preheated 425°F oven for about 25 minutes, until they're golden brown.
• Don't have any self-rising flour on hand? Use 2 cups less 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; and add 1 tablespoon baking powder, plus 1 teaspoon salt.
• For best cheese flavor, use a top-quality, extra-sharp cheddar. We like Cabot Extra Sharp or Seriously Sharp. For extra cheesy biscuits (think Cheese-Its style) try adding up to 1/4 cup of Vermont cheese powder along with the flour.

Classic Scalloped Potatoes

Serves: 6 (half recipe)

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes

Ingredients:

     4 pounds (1814g) round white potatoes or red-skin potatoes, peeled and rinsed
     1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 57g) butter
     1/3 cup (39g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
     3 1/2 cups (794g) whole milk
     1 teaspoon onion powder, optional
     1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan or 2-quart casserole.
2. To prepare the potatoes: Slice the potatoes 1/8" to 1/4" thick; if you have a Cuisinart food processor, use disk #4.
3. Place the sliced potatoes in a large saucepan with cold water to cover; add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; as soon as the potatoes come to a full boil, set your timer for 1 minute. After 1 minute, remove them from the heat.
4. Drain the potatoes thoroughly, and layer in the prepared pan. Salt the layers as you go, if desired; the salt in the white sauce is the bare minimum required for flavor. If you're someone who likes a bit more salt on their food, then do sprinkle some onto the potatoes as you go
5. To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk in the flour, stirring until smooth.
6. Immediately start stirring in the milk, adding gradually and stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
7. When all the liquid is added, stir in the onion powder and salt.
8. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens just a bit; this won't be very noticeable, more like the difference in consistency between skim milk and heavy cream. Remove from the heat.
9. Pour the sauce over the potatoes, pressing them down so they're nearly covered; a few slices sticking up are OK, they'll lend the dish character.
10. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour, or until they're bubbly and golden brown on top. A sharp knife inserted into the center of the potatoes should find little resistance.
11. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and serve hot or warm.

Tips from our Bakers

• Be sure to use the potatoes indicated in this recipe, rather than baking (Russet) potatoes; they hold their shape better. Yellow Finn is another good choice; Yukon Gold is acceptable, too.
• Can you prepare this dish ahead of time, refrigerate overnight, and bake the next day? Yes. Either take it out and bring it to room temperature ahead of time; or add about 15 minutes to the baking time, to account for the potatoes being chilled.
• Can you cut this recipe in half? Sure. Use 2 pounds of potatoes; reduce the salt in their boiling water to 1/2 teaspoon. Prepare the white sauce as directed in the full-size recipe, reducing the milk to 2 1/2 cups, the butter to 3 tablespoons, the flour to 1/4 cup, and the salt to 3/4 teaspoon. Bake in an 8" x 8" pan, or smaller casserole, for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly.

Poticza

Makes: 2 loaves

Time: 4 hr 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Dough
     4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter
     1/4 cup (50g) sugar
     1 teaspoon salt
     3/4 cup (170g) milk
     2 large eggs
     2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
     3 cups (361g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
     1/4 cup (46g) potato flour or 1/2 cup (46g) dried potato flakes

Filling
     4 1/2 cups (510g) chopped walnuts or pecans
     3/4 cup (149g) sugar
     1 tablespoon Instant ClearJel
     1/4 teaspoon salt
     2 teaspoons cinnamon
     3 large eggs
     1/4 cup (57g) milk
     1/4 cup (78g) maple syrup
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      2 teaspoons grated orange rind (zest), optional

Topping
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup (28g) finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Steps:

Dough

1. Place the butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Bring the milk to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave and pour over the ingredients. Stir briefly, then let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
2. When cooled, whisk in the eggs, yeast, and vanilla. Whisk 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with the potato flour (or potato flakes) and stir into the wet ingredients. Add the remaining flour, mixing to form a soft dough.
3. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until shiny and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour, then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, and as long as overnight.

Filling

1. Put the nuts, sugar, Instant ClearJel, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process in short bursts to grind the nuts.
2. With the machine running, add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the orange zest (if using) and pulse to incorporate.

Assembly and Bake

1. On a greased work surface, roll the dough into a 26" x 18" rectangle, with a long side facing you. Spread the filling evenly over the surface, leaving 1" of one long edge uncovered.
2. Roll the dough toward the uncovered edge, pinching to seal the seam and the ends to enclose the filling.
3. Grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans and line with parchment. Cut the rolled dough in half. Bring the ends of each half together to make a ring shape and place each in a pan with the seam facing down. Press the dough down gently with your hand to fill in the corners.
4. Cover the loaves and let them rise until puffy, up to 1 1/2 hours. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. When the loaves have risen, brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the finely chopped nuts.
6. Bake the loaves for 50 to 55 minutes. Check the tops after 20 minutes, tenting with foil if necessary to keep them from over-browning. The breads are done when the centers read 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans on a rack for 20 minutes before tipping out of the pans and returning to the rack to finish cooling completely.
8. Store bread, well wrapped, on the counter for up to three days; freeze for longer storage.

EAT